Multiple unit fire resisting inclosure



F. A. FAHRENWALD MULTIPLE UNIT FIRE RESISTING INC-LOSURE Jan. 12, 1932.

Filed Sept. 29. 1930 jzzlarefor mledfmmwm Patented Jan. 12, 1932 FRANK A. FAHRENWALD, or omcaoo; rumors MULTIPLE UNIT' rum nnsm'rnm mcmsrmn Application filed September 29, 1980. Serial 10. 485,280.

10 metal structures sets up stresses of such varying orders, as well as directions in different parts of the structure, that it is impracticable to use rigid walls or walls of very large single piece dimensions in the construction; and a serious problem is presented in the designing of the constituentparts of the structure to I enable them to enter into an assembly which will render the structure self sustaining when 1n use.

go The present invention meets theproblem stated, and provides a constructionof heat resisting walls or closures built up of interrelated unit members sufiicient in number to divide up the wall areas and at the same time to retain assembly of theconstituent members while leaving them free to expand and contract in response to localized temperatures. The invention also provides for the erection of structures of many different di- 7 mensions but of constituent units of substantially uniform design. It also afi'ords novel structural details of unit parts. and assembling members which render more convenient and effective the assembly of the parts in the building of structures therefrom.

.In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a rectangular closure built up of parts in accordancewith the presenti-nvention. g

,oneof the walls, extending to a corner, shown inFigure 1. h

Figure 3 is a detail view showing 111 vertical section means for establishing articulation between horizontal marginal portions of adjacent structural units.

H Figure 4 is a detailview showing inperspective a portion of a corner unit used for interlocking the vertical margins of two me t si ss and r Figures 5 and .6 are detail views showing modified constructions of meeting marginal portions of unit members whereby they are adapted to interlock and enter into intersustaining relation one to the other, both when a wall is standing under com ression or columnar support and when stan ing under suspension;

In Figure 1, A, B, C and D represent four walls of a rectangular inclosure, each of which walls is built up of a number of horizontal courses of unit members, such, for in stance,,as the courses 1, 2, 3, etc. shown'in Figure 2, which courses are connected together by long meeting horizontal margins through means of specially constructed articulations 4 having the peculiarity of rendering thecourses mutually intersustaining at'least when the wall is supported by suspension, and preferably also when the wall is in columnar or compressional support.

Each horizontal course 1, 2, 3, etc. is in turn subdivided vertically into units such as indicated at '5, 6, and 7, which in turn are made to meet in the joints ,8 which may be of any desired construction, and which are shown in Figure 1 by way of illustration as being of lap-tongue construction.

The articulations 4 may be of various constructions so long as they involve a pair of up- 30 per bearing surfaces and a pair of lower bearin surfaces spa ed vertically and adapted to a ord vertical.inter-sustention between the units, in addition to inter-engagement that resists relative tipping movement between the as units in a horizontal direction that is transverse to the lane of the wall which the units compose. ne such articulation is shown in Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of b 5 and thereby providing a support- W ing shoulder 10, is made to enter the groove llbctweenflanges 12 and 13 while flange 13 carries a lip 14 engaging above the shoulder 10, so that the articulation indicated generally bythe reference character 4 provides a lap to joint which is flexible within limits but adapted to resist collapsing of the two members which it unites even when the upper member is resting by gravity upon the lower member;

7 which will sustain the upper member upon 10o tion; also with said salient ortions 16,1611

consists of a dove tail'tongue 16,16d oflse't' laterally from the planeof the memberja,

with its salient portions 16, 16a separated by a recess 160 for considerations having to do with the use offoundry methods in producspaced apartvertically an aligned at an angle to the planeof the member 5a, and'an "undercutgroove member 17 formed upon the upper margin of the unit member 6a, offset from the plan'eof. said member 6a, and ass'uming'the same angular position as the dove-tail member 16, 16a. This construction provides upper and 'lower bearings] affording vertical sustention, respectively, one of which is effective when the composite wall is under suspension, and the other of which actswhen it is sustained from below, and both of which "act to limit fiexure of the wall or buckling in a horizontal direction transverse to the plane of the wall; The constructionshown inFigure 5 is one which can be conveniently made by casting and which, when cast. can be conveniently finished by instrumentalities available for that pur ose;

articulation, wherein the tongu'e 16b is of truncated triangular form and the groove member 17?) is similar to the groove member 17 in Figure 5;

- Figure4 shows a desirable means, but not the only means that may be employed, for

uniting meeting vertical margins of two walls in developing an inclosure such as shown in Figure 1. This consists of a channel member 18 having divergent walls 19 terminating in gripping lugs 20 which are adapted to interengage with undercut ribs 21 on the-margins of the unit members which meet at a corner, as shown in Figure 1. From the fore going, it will be seen that the present invention contemplates two multiple unit walls,

angularly' related as meeting confines of an inclosure, with the units of each wall grouped 1 in a plurality of horizontal panels and meeting in vertical lines of articulation; with the several panels united by horizontal telescoping action against vertical separation and withthese units which are at the ends of the several horizontal panels of one wall inter- 'In-Figure 6 is shown a somewhat different design of the angularly disposed'dove-tail perpendicular to the planecofthe wall.

talseries of units is, nothwithstanding, interlocked against vertical separation and restriction against tipping or buckling in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the plane of the wall, only the end units of the horizontal panels are held to the corners of the meeting walls, and all the intermediate units of the horizontal panels are left free, notwithstanding the corners of the inclosure ,ma'y be held in desirably close assembly to effect a substantial structure. 7

The structure that is herein described will avoid substantially all the distortion of walls by: inequality ofetemperature developed at different localities in a wall, and the wall will retain its integrity and the exactness of form even when subjected to very high -tempera tures. r Y

The nature of the unit members and the constructions of which they are articulatedilg afford a wide range of availability of such -members with respect to dimensions'of structransmitting vertical sustention, limit tipping and buckling in ahorizontal direction a 2; A fire resisting'wall, comprlsinga series of superposed horizontal panels having at their meeting horizontal margins, articulations which render the panels intersustaining while leaving them free for relative expan -11o sion and contraction; each panel'being subdivided transversely into aplurality'ofunit members; an articulation consisting in tongue and groovejoints laterally offset from the plane of the panels on one side thereof=115 3. A fire resisting wall, comprising a series of-superposed horizontal panels having at their meeting horizontal margins, articulations which render the panels intersustaining while leaving them free for relative 'expan-fizo SIOII'ELIld contraction; each panel'being subdivided transversely into a plurality of unit members; an articulation consisting in tongue andgroove'joints laterally offset from, the plane of the panels; providing vertically spaced pairs of vertically sustaining bearing surfaces and vertically spaced pairs of interling. r

4. A structure as described'in claim 3,"in 130.

locking surfaces resistant to horizontal buckwhich the tongues and grooves are essentially dove-tailed in section with the salients of the dovetail spaced vertically, and said dovetail providing upper and lower airs of vertically sustaining bearing sur aces and upper and lower pairs of interlocking surfaces sustaining the joint against buckling in a. horizontal direction perpendicular to the plane of the wall.

5. A structure as described in claim 3, in which the tongues and grooves are essentially dove-tailed in section and disposed at an angle to the plane of the panels and also at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the wall, whereby said tongues provide vertically spaced pairs of surfaces affording vertical sustention and resistance to horizontal buckling. I

6. Fire resisting walls related as confines of an inclosure, meeting at an angle and provided with interlocking corner members tying the walls together; at least one of said walls consisting of a series of telescopically united, vertically inseparable panels, each of which panels is made 'up of a plurality of units meeting in substantially vertical lines; the corner members of the structure tying to the meeting wall only the end units of the panels, and the intermediate units of the panels being free to contract under temperature changes independently of said end units.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 24th day of September, 1930.

FRANK A. FAHRENWALD.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,840,942. Granted January 12, 1932, to

FRANK A. FAHRENWALD.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 66, for the misspelled word "nothwithstanding" read notwithstanding; page 3, line 15, claim 5,-atter "tongues" insert the words and grooves; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of April, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

